Stage-pocket.



N0 MODLL` PATENTEDA OCT. 4, 1904.

B. BEERWALD.

STAGE POCKET.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1903.

UNITED STATES Patented october 4, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN BEERWAL'D, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPHFRANK GEORGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STAGE-POCKET.

sPEcIrIcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,410, dated october4, 1904.

Application led November 30,1903. VSerial No. 183,133. (No model.) l

To all whom zit may concern.:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN BEERWALD, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania,temporarily residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city and Stateof New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inStage-Pockets, of which the following is a specification.

I use the term "stage-pocket to cover the recesses in theaters,ordinarily so called, and analogous parts of other buildings andconstructions. The improvement will be described as applied in theaters.It'takes the place of the corresponding pocketwhich is now in generaluse for controlling the electric currents atA will in lighting differentprearranged portions of the stage and accessories. It avoids thediiculty heretofore experienced in such pockets in consequence ofv theirliability to accident. It .excludes foreign substances withoutinterfering with the action or interposing diliculty or delay in theworking. The pocket may be in the position most exposed to suchaccident-in the Hoor of the stage. p

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ofcarrying out the invention. The accompanying drawings form a part ofthis specification.

Figure lis a vertical section on the line l i in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is acorresponding plan view, and Fig. 3 a section corresponding to Fig. lwith the plug holding the doors open.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theiigures Where they appear.

A is the receptacle or pocket of a long-approved form. There may beseveral in different positions easily accessible-sunk in the floor ofthe stage, in the Wings, or otherwise concealed from the audience. B isthe slate insulation held upright therein.

C and D are the contacts,and C. and D the binding-screws carried on theinsulation, which latter may be in all respects of the ordinaryconstruction, except that the upper edge of the slate is chamfered, asindicated at l), to receive the inclined ways or guides on the cover tobe presently described. The electrical connections to the binding-screwsand the provisions for giving and receiving currents through them are ofthe ordinary character and need no further reference.

I .will designate the cover by the letter E, using supernumerals whennecessary to indicate special parts thereof. I provide the ordinaryrectangular apertures e in the top, which receive the plugs and allowtheir withdrawal by the ordinary obvious ve rtical movements.

E E' are inclined guideways forming the upper sides of the ways for thedoors. These are connected by webs E2 with the parallel lower inclinedguideways E3, which stand under 'the doors and form strongsupportingways therefor.v I have shown these strong inclined transverseways for four pairs of doors. v

G is a transverse plate extending across the outer end of each of theways andsecured to the webs E2 by screws. The plates are provided withholes receiving the rods I.

F F are the doors, having their main bodies adapted to be supported andstrongly guided laterally by the webs E2 and in the vertical plane bythe upper ways E and the lowerl ways E3. The inner ends are beveled andpresent plane level faces on the upper sides. These faces are arrangedto lie flush with the upper surfacev of the cover when in the closedposition. The shallow inner ends F2, which abut together, one from eachside, are beveled, as indicated in Fig. 2. Each door is hollow on theunder side and equipped with a transverse web F. Each door is pressedupward and inward by a helical spring H, which exerts a distending forceand loosely incloses a rod I, extending from the web F' loosely outwardand downward through the corresponding holes g, and these pins 1 guidethe spring and limit the traverse of the door by'the aid of transversepins 1 I2, which may be split keys.

M is a wood insulation-plug having a main body of hard {ine wood,supernumerals being employed when necessary to indicate specialportions. M is a wedge-shaped end, and M2 the ordinary wide portionabove. The latter corresponds to the minimum spread of the coppercontacts M3. These contacts are of the ordinary construction and extendup and down the plug and are, as usual, elastically and electricallyconnected together and to the ordinary lamp-wire M5. I have shown theupper end of the plug as formed with a convenient knob M, which extendsabove the cover E when the plug is in use; but this knob may be omittedand the plug allowed to' terminate flush with the upper face of thecover E. In such case the gentle force required to commence the liftingmotion of the plug may be imparted by simply pulling upward on thelamp-wire.

The bevel on the abutting ends of the doors of each pair holds thecentral joint sufficiently open to allow the insertion of the thinwedgeshaped end of the plug without presenting lany suiicient space toreceive dirt and induce mischief. The doors spring together promptly onthe removal of the plug and effectually close the considerablerectangular openings e, and therebyr forbid the reception of any dirt,which is liable in case of nails or the like to cause disaster byshort-circuiting.

The apparatus is operated in all respects in the ordinary manner,'exceptthat care is required to place the wedge-shaped end of the plugcorrectly by inserting it in the narrow recess provided by the abuttingtogether of the beveled ends F2.

The arrangement insures that each of the transverse pins, which arepreferably split keys, I I2, with the washersls, insures that the inwardand upward traverse of each door is arrested at the right point, whetherthe oppositely-moving door which meets it is actuated bya spring of thesame force or not.

The strong guidance aorded by the upper and lower ways E and E3 insuresthat the doors are firmly supported, so that they may be stepped on withany force without derangement.

Modifications may be made. The size of the receptacle A and the numberof pairs of doors F and connecting parts may vary indefinitely,according as the lights shall re' quire to be controlled in separatedivisions.

I have shown the rods I as detachable at either end and have shown awasher Is under the key or cross-pin I2; but these points may be omittedand other features may be modified without departing from the principleor sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

The improvementrnay be applied in dwellings, manufactories, and Variousother situations. One Very important use is in stations for chargingstorage batteries, automobiles, and other purposes.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a stage-pocket the guide-webs E2 andinclined Ways E E3., in-combination with doors F guided therein andsprings H arranged to serve yieldingly to urge the doors into the closedposition, all substantially as herein specified.

2. In a stage-pocket the guide-Webs E2 and inclined ways E' E, incombination With doors E guided therein, arranged in oppositelyslidingpairs and with springs H, rods I and cross-pins I I2 for limiting theinward motions of each member, all substantially as herein specified.

3. In a stage-pocket the guide-webs E2 and inclined ways E E, incombination with doors F guided therein and springs H arranged toyieldingly urge the doors into the closed position and with a plug Mhaving a wedge end M', all arranged to serve substantially as hereinspecified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I ax mysignaturein the presence of two Witnesses.

BENJAMIN BEERWALD.

Witnesses:

THOMAS DREW STETsoN, M. F. BoYLE. Y

